What is a key safety practice during maintenance to prevent unexpected machine startup?

What is a key safety practice during maintenance to prevent unexpected machine startup?

• A. Ensuring proper ventilation
• B. Lockout/tagout to prevent unexpected startup and protect workers from injury
• C. Skipping risk assessments
• D. Bypassing machine controls

Answer: (B)

Preventing unexpected machine startup during maintenance comes from using lockout/tagout to isolate energy sources and keep the equipment from power while someone is working on it. The practice involves de-energizing the machine, isolating all energy sources (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, stored energy, gravity, etc.), releasing or blocking any stored energy, and applying a lock and a tag to the energy‑isolating device. After isolation, you verify there is zero energy and that the controls cannot restart the machine while maintenance is underway. This approach physically prevents the machine from starting, protecting workers from injury caused by unexpected movement or energy release. While proper ventilation is important for a safe work environment, it does not prevent startup. Skipping risk assessments or bypassing machine controls removes safety barriers and increases the risk of injury.

Preventing unexpected machine startup during maintenance comes from using lockout/tagout to isolate energy sources and keep the equipment from power while someone is working on it. The practice involves de-energizing the machine, isolating all energy sources (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, stored energy, gravity, etc.), releasing or blocking any stored energy, and applying a lock and a tag to the energy‑isolating device. After isolation, you verify there is zero energy and that the controls cannot restart the machine while maintenance is underway. This approach physically prevents the machine from starting, protecting workers from injury caused by unexpected movement or energy release. While proper ventilation is important for a safe work environment, it does not prevent startup. Skipping risk assessments or bypassing machine controls removes safety barriers and increases the risk of injury.